Reading
Porch notes
Short pieces explaining what a symptom actually means, so that you can decide whether to call anyone at all.
These are written to be read by the person who owns the appliance, not by someone who repairs them for a living. Where a fault has a cheap explanation and an expensive one, both are named, and the cheap one is checked first.
New notes appear here as they are written. There is an RSS feed if you would rather not come back and look.
Why Ice Cubes Come Out Hollow
A hollow cube is a water problem wearing a temperature problem's clothes. Here is how to tell the two apart before you call anyone.
Frost on the Back Wall of the Freezer
Frost is not the freezer being too cold. It is humidity that entered the cabinet and then failed to be removed on the next defrost.
Condensation Along the Door Line
A seal fails slowly and invisibly. Long before it lets go, it is letting in humid air, and the cabinet is paying for it in compressor hours.
The Condenser Is Above the Doors, Not Below
The one piece of maintenance that reliably extends the life of a compressor, and the first thing we check on any cabinet that never stops running.
After the Power Blinks, and What to Check
A dark panel does not always mean a dead board. The useful first question is whether the compartment is still holding temperature.